Safety-lock for railway-switches.



J. R. MoKINNIS. SAFETY LOOK 110R RAILWAY SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1910. V

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Ilia/l W JOHN R. MCKINNIS, OF ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR RAILWAY-SWITCHES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 29, 1910.

Application filed April 13, 1910. Serial No. 555,228.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. MoKINNIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Buchanan and State of Missouri, have invented centain new and useful Improvements in Safety- Locks for Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway switches of that character wherein means is provided for locking the points of the switch after they have been thrown from one position to another, the invention particularly relating to certain improvements on a switch shown in my Patent No. 946,612, granted January 18, 1910.

In the switch illustrated in the patent above referred to, a point-locking block is shown which was slidably mounted upon the main rails of the track and which engaged over one point and between the other point and the main rail when the points were fully thrown, thus locking one point to the rail and preventing the other point from being forced inward against the adjacent rail.

In the construction above referred to, the locking block was shown as being provided with bolts which passed through longitudinally extending slots on the main rails. Inasmuch as these slots might tend in some cases, to weaken the rail, and such connection might be considered to be otherwise objectionable, I have devised another form of connection between the sliding block and the rail which, while securing the advantageous results pointed out in the specification of the patent mentioned, yet eliminates this means of supporting the block and the consequent slotting of the rail.

Inasmuch as the broad features of my invention are sufiiciently shown in the patent heretofore referred to, there is no need of a detailed showing and explanation of the construction in this present application. I have, therefore, in the accompanying drawings, shown only so much of the switch mechanism as is necessary to an understanding of the operation of this improvement.

For a full understanding of the invention reference is to be had to the following description and'accompanying drawings, in wh1ch Figure 1 is a plan view of my lmproved locking switch mechanism. Fig. 2 1s a horij zontal section of one of the rails, the switch point and the point-locking device. Fig. 3

is a vertical section on the line 33 of Fig.

2. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the sliding locking member detached from the rail. Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views by the same characters. Referring to these figures A designates the main rails of a track, B the rails of a line branching off therefrom, and C designates the switch points of the usual construction. These points are connected by the usual tierods D. The rails, of course, are supported upon ties. Mounted at one side of the track is a switch-stand, not necessary to show in the present drawings, but connected to a switch-rod 10, whereby the points are thrown from one position to the other. This switch-rod is connected at its extremity to the bridle strap 11, this strap being in turn connected to one of the cross-bars D of the switch points.

Extending transversely beneath the track is the rock-shaft 15, which is so connected to the switch-stand, as explained in my previous patent, that it will be rotated previously to the actuation of the switch-points. This shaft 15 is mounted in bearing stirrups attached to the ends of a tie. The rock-shaft is provided on the outside of the outermost rails wit-h the crank-arms 22. Links 23 connect these crank-arms each with a slide 2% which fits between the base-flange of the rail and the head thereof and longitudinally slides in this space. The link 23 is, of course, pivotally connected to the arm 22 and to the extremity of the slide. To this end, the inner end of each slide is bifurcated as at 24: and a pivot-bolt 25 connects the slide and the link.

Oppositely disposed upon each main rail to the slides 24 are the locking blocks 28. These blocks are located on the inner faces of the main rails and just in advance of the switch points. They are so formed in crosssection as to fit between the base-flange and the head of the rail and to slide in this space and rest on the base-flange. The rear end of each block 28 is thinned away, while the extreme forward end of each block is beveled outward and forward. In other words, outward and toward the end of the block, this bevel having substantially the same angle as the bevel of the switch-point so that the locking blocks may be slid over the point, as shown 1n Fig. 2, and thus hold the point to the rail from any liability to sidewise movement. The inner ends of the sliding blocks are of a width equal to or slightly less than the distance separating the point from the rail when the point has been thrown outward from the rail, and thus act, when inserted between the point and the rail, as separating means, preventing the inward movement of the outwardly thrown point, while the opposite locking block holds its point in positive contact with the rail as shown in Fig. 1.

As previously stated, in my original invention the locking block 28 and the sliding member 24 were connected by bolts passing through slots in the web of the rail. In the present invention I show the block 28 and the slide 24: as connected by means of transversely extending tie-pieces 30 and 31 which extend beneath the base-flange of the rail A. Preferably, the locking-block 28, the slide 24; and the tie-pieces 30 and 31 are all formed in one piece as I have shown, though I do not wish to be limited to the exact details of construction. Preferably, the web or tie-portion 30 connects the rear end of the slide and block 28-, as the form shown in the sectional view of Fig. 4, while the tie-piece 81 is located at the forward end of the slide just rearward of the end of the bifurcation 24 and is connected to the block 28 just rearward of the shoulder 29. Preferably, I connect the tie-pieces or webs 30 and 31 by means of a longitudinally extending bar 32. This bar fits in a slot cut in the upper face of the tie E so that not only is the sliding member forming the lock guided. by reason of the fact that it braces the rail, but also by the member 32 having sliding engagement in the slot formed in the upper face of the tie. This is not only an additional guiding means, but also acts to prevent any lateral movement of the rail and sliding member with relation to the tie. It is tobe noted that because the slide and the block move in the space between the head of the rail and the baseflange thereof, that they are protected to a large extent from snow and ice, the overhanging head of the rail shielding them so that ice or snow is not likely to accumulate to an extent which will prevent the actuation of the switch-lock. The base of the rail also tends to prevent any accumulation of snow or ice beneath the same, and therefore, in such position as would block the movement of the tie-pieces or webs 30 and 31, while the longitudinal web 32 is entirely housed and protected by the overhanging base of the rail. I do not wish to be limited, however, to the position of these ties between the block and slide, nor to the exact shape of the ties illustrated. It is sutlicient as far as my present invention goes, if the slide and block be connected to each other by ties or connecting members which extend beneath the rail and not pass through the rail.

The operation of myinvention is obvious, and is fully explained in my previous patcut, as well as the advantages of the general construction. hen the switch has been thrown, and the locking blocks moved into their lock-position, both of the points are held against any movement. One of the ioints will be held positively against the adjacent rail, while the opposite point will be spaced from the adjacent rail, and neither of the points are capable of movement to or from the rails.

It may be pointed out regarding this switch locking device that the locking blocks do not at any time project above the track. The blocks move longitudinally and are supported between the head and base-flange of each rail, as if in guides. Furthermore, the locking member or block, with its slide is mounted upon the track rail, and is not independent of the track rail, the locking block being connected to the slide on the opposite side of the rail by means of the connecting pieces or webs 30 and 31. This is an important feature, in that the point is held rigidlv with the rail and moved, if it moves at all, with the rail. Hence, there can be no shifting of the point relative to the rail, the locking member being practically a part of the rail upon which it is mounted, by reason of the fact that it embraces the rail and extends on both sides thereof. It will also be seen that the locking-block is solid, and rigidly engaged with the rail at one side and with the point at the other side when it is interposed between the rail and point.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is 1. In a switch, the combination with a main rail, a switch point, and means for moving the switch point, of a point locking device including a member embracing the main rail, but slidable therealong said mem ber fitting between the base flange and the head of the rail, a point engaging member beveled on both sides and adapted to engage either over the switch point or between the switch point and the main rail, and means for moving the point locking device out of engagement with the point, shifting the point and moving the locking device again into engagement with the point.

2. In a switch lock, the combination with a main rail, and switch point, of means for locking the switch point in its open or closed position, said means comprising a point locking device including a longitudinally extended member having a head formed at one end, the said head being beveled on its inside face, said member having sliding engagement with the rail between the head and base flange thereof, a

slide disposed on the other side of said rail and comprising a longitudinally extended member also fitting between the head and base flange of the rail formed at one end with a bifurcated head, and a tie Web extending between and integral with the heads of the slide and point locking member and fitting beneath the base flange of the rail, a Web connecting the rear ends of the slide and point locking member and fitting over the base flange on each side and extending beneath the base of the rail, and a longitudinal extending Web connecting said tie webs and disposed beneath the base flange of the rail.

In testimony whereof, I afiiX my signature in presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN R. MOKINNIS. [L. s]

WVitnesses SAM BLOCK, A. GABBERT. 

